The building is connected to the Gabel Natatorium and is located at the southwest end of the Kalamazoo campus. It is named for Harry W. Lawson, the founder the WMU hockey club team in 1956. The student section, referred to as the "Lawson Lunatics", is 1,400 students strong and admittance to the section usually involves long lines outside the arena before games. From 1992–1994, while University Arena was being renovated, the basketball teams called Lawson home.